1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to robot arm technology and more specifically, to a wireless transmission device that can be used as a joint in a robot arm for transmitting power and data between two sides of the joint in a wireless manner, eliminating the problem of wiring in the joint, having the advantages of simple structure, series connection applicability and free 360-degree robot arm rotation.
2. Description of the Related Art
With fast development of industrialization, human power has been gradually replaced by robot in automated manufacturing. In order to simultaneously transmit power, control signal and other sensed data signal, a robot needs a complicated arrangement of cables therein. However, arranging physical cables in a robot restricts the freedom of the motion of the arm members of the robot, limiting the rotation angle of the arm members to the range of 90 degrees or 120 degrees, and thus, the arm members of a robot cannot be freely rotated through 360 degrees. Further, arranging a large amount of cables in a robot cannot eliminate the occurrence of the poor contact or short circuit problem, lowering the reliability of durability of the robot.
US2007/0276538 discloses a robot or manipulator including a wireless power supply and a wireless communication device respectively adapted for transmitting power and data, so as to achieve non-contact transmission of power and signals. However, this patent is not designed for installation inside the robot arm, in other words, due to the differences of the transmission routes between the power and the control signal, a power transmission line and a signal transmission line are still necessarily arranged inside the robot arm with complicating layout. This design cannot resolve the problems encountered in the current robotics industries. A further improvement in this regard is needed.